As of 5:30 PM today, I am officially back in Atlanta and back in my old bedroom. It's so crazy being back but that's a story for another day.
In the shuffle of moving, staying at Rachel's, spending time in DC with family, and driving back to Georgia I completely forgot to read. Or blog. Or really get online more than just a quick social media check via Ginger. Heck I didn't even open my email for a week.
That being said, I am way behind on my challenge. I finished one book but never got around to posting. I'm halfway done with my next book. Provided I finish that book by Sunday, I'll only have two whole books to read next week while unpacking and job searching. Like I said, I'm the worst. I do promise to update you on my travels of late, but today I just wanted to talk about Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig.
To be frank, this wasn't my favorite. I know a lot of people absolutely love it. But for whatever reason I wasn't crazy about it. I didn't dislike it, but it certainly didn't live up to my expectations for it either. Maybe that's the problem.
Expectations.
They're a funny thing, expectations. I went into this book expecting to essentially have my worldview changed and my eyes opened to new ways of thinking because that's what everyone said happened to them.
It just didn't happen. Sure Pirsig made a few good points. Sure they made me think. But did I walk away changed or enthusiastic about it? No. And that to me is the most disappointing feeling to get after reading a book.
Reading, at least for me, is a lot like eating. Let's say your friends convince you to try three new dishes at dinner one night. The first dish is just bland. It has no flavor, no distinct texture. It's just there. The second dish is awful, just dreadful. All you want to do is eat something else to get the taste out of your mouth. Finally the last dish is brought out and it is heaven on a plate. It's the most sinfully amazing thing you've ever eaten.
When you look back on the meal, I can almost guarantee that by the next morning you won't remember what the first course was. It left no impression on you at all.
Books are like that too. Good ones and bad ones stay with you. Mediocre ones just..fade away.
Whether it's food or a book, what matters is that it engaged you in some way.
That's the whole joy of reading: engaging with the text. It's why I read. So to not engage is to essentially not read. I think that's a part of the reason I fell so far behind on my reading. I hadn't really felt anything so I wasn't eager to move on to the next book. I was sort of soured on the whole experience. I didn't particularly care whether I read any more or not. Well, that and the fact that I was so preoccupied with everything else going on.
On the whole, I wouldn't say to not read Zen. Give it a chance--maybe you'll love it even if it wasn't the book for me. And like I said, it makes some good points. So if you're in the mood for a book thats' one part father/son road trip and one part philosophical musings, definitely pick up Zen and see what you think. I'd be interested in hearing your reactions!
Image from here.
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